Newsletter

Rincon officials continue buying private wells

RINCON - City Council on Monday continued the process of buying private wells, which were part of a previous deal allowing construction despite state groundwater restrictions.

Nearly half of the approximately 40 private wells drilled during the last two years have been purchased this year at costs ranging from $3,000 to $7,000 apiece.

Houses and buildings served by those wells are tying onto city water lines.

"It has pretty much been a trade off," said Mayor Ken Lee about the expenses.

"The city can't barter but we made an agreement with the contractor who is capping those wells," Lee said. "In exchange for his work, we sell the pumps and equipment to him."

Lee is part of a new city administration that took office in January and negotiated a new agreement with state Environmental Protection Division officials. The previous administrator fought the EPD aquifer restrictions, which led to court battles and state restrictions prohibiting new taps on Rincon's water lines.

Previous city officials signed agreements with developers at the time to allow construction to continue. Projects were built in phases of 10 structures or less and private water systems installed, circumventing EPD restrictions.

City officials agreed to buy the private systems and install city water connections when the water dispute was settled.

Since reaching an agreement with EPD earlier this year, city officials have been complying with the well-purchasing agreement.

Councilman Ken Baxley said some arrangements allow homeowners to continue using the private wells for irrigation.

Agreements were approved Monday night on four private wells. City Attorney Raymond Dickey said one-third to one-half of the private wells have been purchased and others are pending.